Vehicle-wheel.



T- RHODUS.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION men mAvw. 19:1.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS--SHEET I. RH'ODUS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

mom FILED MAY 19. 1917 Patented Feb. 11, 1919..

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

- and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels,

T in.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed May 19, 1917. Serial No. 169,606.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RHoDUs, a citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of- Chicago, in the county of Cook,

State of Illinois, have invented certain new of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of vehicle wheels in which the annular tread member is rigid and is yieldinglyconnected to an inner or hub member by resilient intermediate means, and has for its object:

To provide a means for connecting to gether and tightening the series of sections or blocks comprising the annular tread member of the wheel, in an effective and very substantial manner.

To provide means for individually connecting the series of sectors or blocks comprising the annular tread member of the wheel together in assembled relation, capable of ready disassembly when required, and with which the fastening means is locked in place against accidental disengagement.

'In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1, is a plan view of the wheel structure.

Fig. 2, is an elevation of the same, with parts broken away and in section to show the inner structure of the hub member.

Fig. 3, is'an enlarged detail transverse section.

Fig. 4, is a detached perspective view of associated parts of the annular tread member.

Fig. 5, is a detail circumferential section on line wa, Fig. 3. p I

Fig. 6, is a detached perspective view illustrating the connection between a spoke I and the hub portion of the wheel.

The same reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the hub or inner member of the wheel structure, which is preferably formed with a pair of spaced collars or circular flanges 2 between which the inner ends of the series of resilient spokes 3 are clamped and held. As usual, one flange is integrally or otherwise fixed on the main portion ofthe hub while the other flange is detachably associated with said main portion of the hub.

The resilient spokes 3 are formed of bars or strips of resilient material, preferably spring steel, and constitute the resilient means by which the wheel tread 4 is operatively associated with the wheel hub 1 to absorb the varying impacts 'to which the wheel tread is exposed in use upon roadways. In the structure shown said spokes 3 are formed with a quarter twist 3" intermediate their length, with a View to localize fiexure in a circular path to the inner portions of the spokes. 7

One part of the present invention involves means for effecting a substantial and readily detachable connection between the hub 1 and the inner ends of the spokes 3, and comprises a detail structural formation of parts as follows 5 designates a pair of opposed notches or recesses formed in the opposite edges of the spokes 8 and near the inner ends of the same.

6 designates a pair of annular plates or disks arranged inside the collars or flanges 2 of the hub, and formed with central orifices adapted to fit the central cylindrical periphery of the hub 1, as shown in Fig. 3. In the structure shown each of the disks 6 is formed with circular series of inner and outer notches 0r recesses 7 ,separated by a series of intermediate bars or webs 8, the arrangement being radial as shown. The bars or webs 8 are of a size corresponding with the before described notches 5 of the spokes, and fit the same in an engaged condition of the parts, as shown in Fig. 3. With the described construction a simple and substantial attachmentof the parts is attained, and the usual transverse holding bolts 9 are utilized as the means for securing the parts in assembled relation, while permitting a ready disassemblywhen required.

6 designates circular series of bearing lugs associated with the wheel hub and arranged between the inner portions of the wheel spokes, and preferably formed as integral extensions of the aforesaid annular plates 6 as shown. The faces of the bearing lugs 6 adapted for hearing contact with the wheel spokes, are curved or otherwise formed to provide a progressive increase in resistance to flexure ofthe spokes as the same are flexed under an imposed load. 7

In the present structure the tread mem 30 :thertransverse bolts 16,- by which the assothan the width of :its associating ringll so her 4 aforesaid, comprises a plurality of sector shape sections or blocks, formed of any usual and suitable Wear-resisting material, with their abutting portions formed with adj oining contact faces preferably arranged on-lines radial with the axis of '"thedw'heel structure, and another part of the presentimprovement involves a structural formation of the individual sections or blocks; as follows:-

' 10 designates recesses or grooves formed hereinafter describedin--detail, and the .d'e'pt'h of said 'recesses is preferably greater that :the' series' -ofntread' sections or blocks n'th'e mostw'elfective form -of the recesses or -gro'oves 10 ,-the bearing: faces thereof are verse-passages,iin thecircular tread st-rucf ture,-'=ran,d:formed in more or less, of rthezinformed "with inner" and outer inclined or wedge shape bearing portions 12 and 13,

:separated'by an intermediate andv preferably :plane surface 14; as shown.

15 sdesignates"radially elongated transdividual tread sections'oriblocks; to=receive ciatedaparts of the tread member 42' are a,d-

-justed :and-i clamped together.- ,Theelon- -gated-passa-ges '15are preferably- -formed in the: recesses or grooves 10 of the treadsections orblocks so vas-to connectzgnooves 10 through the blocks in iline with :the plane asunfaces le-and intermediate of: the inclined or twjed-ge shaped: bearing surfaces 12 and'13 a :17 designates transverseggrooves :or chanof said; blocksaas shown in Fig. 3.

nels formed in-= the before =described abut- .ting faces KOf theeSePlBS of tread sections ;-or

1 blocksynwith pairs of said grooves or chafnnels in register to=- receive transverse key bare 18 adapted to ;-;be driven-transversely pinto place to;hold-,the series-(of treadblocks 4 r V V v i-Each: of the pair of opposed connecting.

q preferreel -construction, eachlofrthe key bars V18 isI-formedswithisharp side-edges .or flanges 1 19 adapted; to bite into the Emateriah of the V tread: sectionseor blocks,'ras the key-bars are :driven :later'a-lly-into place toefieot a strong connection, r. i

:18i'designates' an elongated orifice formed atwthe mid-length: of a-key bar 18', adapted to receive the outer end of. a wheel spoke 3 when' the partsare =in assembled relation andiprevents accidental disengagement of said key "bar;

20-"designates radial slotsformed inmore or less of the tread sections or blocks; and

preferably in ith'e f adj oiningcontact'ifaces of their' 'recesseswithout :ld3Jd.-" a Y;

said blocks, so that the individual slot in oneblock will register with a like individual slot in an adjoining block, to constitute a 'spokesw3; so that itheremayibe :indepen'dent radial movement 'offthezparts in actual use, and more especially :in theicase'ofltheaspokes,

'--as.they: assumeta vertical and approximately .vmay overhang and :protect sa1d--r1ngs, as illustrated more particularly-in Fig. 3. In

/ lasf'are not. in ahvertical position, with' the aforesaid vertical spoke s 2freegto imove I in taking'any of the Another part of the present improvement consists :in ,making--some,' and preferably alzternate'--slots 20 ofi-agreat-er widthuthan the companion-"slots;20, withra view to per' mit" 'a corresponding sidewise independent movement of the spokes in :said wider slots before a bearing is reached were side of- :a wider slotz20f. Thezpurpose' or function is to havezthe spokes in the narrower slots 20* assume :thehlighter loads imposed in actual use; andv with a maximum loadaimposed to have boththespokes ofthe' narrower and :wider slots assume such load.

22 designates individual: grooves or scores.

.fo'rmedi ;-in :the tread surface of each 'individual tread section or block aforesaid, with a view to provide increased. traction-or ad- -hesionin actual use, and xto suchend the grooves -=orscores 22 will ,have'an: obliquearrangement-, ivith-;thegrooves of adjacent tread blocks having a convergingdisposition asi'llustrated -more particularly in and holding rings 11, heretofore referred .to, is i'l'eshapei in-1cross-;section, and is arnranged, to zprovlde an outer transverse :web

1 'etrea-d' sections orblooks, and with said bearings-at the i oppositersides of the transverse clamping bolts 16, as :illustrated more par-5 ticularlyii-n'Figr3. ;With the described construction; :the 20111761 portion 50f the "transverse iwebs overhangs the "heads :o1:'= the bolts-16'; to protect the same fromrinjury;

r 25 designates radially elongated islots in the webs '24s of the respectivc'holdingrings l1, and adapteditoreceivethe bolts 16 aforesaid, in a manner which admits of inderecess having a wall extending from the pendent radial movement of the parts as an deep part to the outer part of said recess, 10 adjustment of the same is made. the said wall comprising an intermediate Having thus fully described my said inpart between two frusto-conical surfaces 5 vention what I claim as new and desire to substantially as set forth.

secure by Letters Patent, is: Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 17th day A block for wheel treads formed with a of May, 1917. recess in each of two opposite sides, each THOMAS RHODUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). G. 

